During dinner with a close friend, a small animal veterinarian like me, we chatted about our kids and recent sports events. But then, she suddenly fell silent and mumbled, “I’m not sure I want to practice anymore.” I was taken aback by how defeated she appeared, and her subsequent comments hit me hard. When I asked about the next chapter in her life, she shook her head and replied sadly, “What will I be if I stop practicing? I’m just a veterinarian.”
“I’m just a veterinarian” is a heartbreaking statement I hear almost monthly from my colleagues and classmates as they navigate their clinical careers. I felt that way when negotiating the sale of my practice to a third party. My business partner and I co-owned the largest small animal hospital in Chicago, an 11-doctor practice with over 60 team members.
Back then, I struggled for months because, in my mind, my identity was synonymous with 15 years of small animal practice. I didn’t know what else I could do with my degree, where to look or how to begin. But the heaviest worry — one I was afraid to confront — was this: Who would I be if I wasn’t a clinically practicing veterinarian?
We often avoid such difficult personal questions. Ultimately, they involve the fear of the unknown.
Change Is Hard
As if life’s daily stressors aren’t enough, today’s traditional practicing veterinarians face numerous longevity-threatening obstacles, including compassion fatigue, toxic work cultures, a work-life imbalance and mental health struggles. According to an American Veterinary Medical Association study, 1 in 6 veterinarians has considered suicide.
From the outside, one might assume that chronic exposure to such life-altering obstacles would readily lead us to switch hospitals, find another industry job or leave the profession altogether. However, for many, the fear of the unknown is so intense that it keeps us stuck. Change is even harder when our work environment isn’t that bad. “The job is fine, and my colleagues are tolerable,” we think, but we no longer feel the passion and purpose.
I found myself at that crossroads a few months before departing as a practice owner. My fear and anxiety about the unknown were almost paralyzing.
Those moments led me to ask myself endless questions, such as:
- What would a new job look or feel like?
- Could I generate the same income?
- Did I need the same income?
More importantly, did I want to continue practicing veterinary medicine? What if I did something completely new and failed miserably?
Years later, after much reflection, I had another critical realization. I hadn’t dreaded the fear of failure at that pivotal point in my career. Instead, I was concerned about what others would think if I stopped practicing.
The Spotlight Effect
If what I’ve said so far describes you or someone you know, please allow me to share this liberating thought: Nobody cares. A psychological phenomenon known as the “spotlight effect” describes how people overestimate how much others notice or observe their appearance, actions, behaviors or results. Nobody would care if I stopped working as a veterinary industry consultant (my current job). Nobody would care if I left to become a professional chef, or if they did, it would be for a fleeting moment. The only person who needed to care was me.
Realizing that your life is ultimately your own is empowering. You can shape it into whatever you want.
The second blunt thought I’ll share is that anxiety thrives on idleness. (Sahil Bloom discusses it in one of my favorite books, The 5 Types of Wealth.) Catastrophic thinking, overanalyzing the same questions and worrying about other people’s opinions do not provide solutions. The answer always lies in taking action.
I was once adept at holding onto intrusive and catastrophic thoughts because of uncertainty and my fear of the unknown. Today, I visualize those thoughts flowing down the drain as I shower. That lightbulb moment occurred when I granted myself permission to work hard and prioritize my mental health. We practice veterinary medicine daily for decades to excel at our craft. Shouldn’t we invest the same effort in working on our mental health?
This final thought is the brightest: A veterinary degree is among the most versatile of all. Period. According to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, about 600,000 veterinarians are active globally, and not one of them is “just” a veterinarian. We are scientists, detectives, educators, therapists, consultants, food safety experts, lobbyists, politicians and entrepreneurs. The key is to remember that we are also parents, children, partners, friends, siblings, musicians, artists and fiercely competitive softball coaches of 11-year-old girls.
So, what’s the next step when you’re trying to rediscover your passion and purpose, but uncertainty and fear of the unknown have you stuck like quicksand? I want to tell you about one possible strategy.
Relationships to Time Frames
The five-part RESET method can reduce the anxiety fueling one’s fear of the unknown and foster clarity and energy for the journey ahead. Here’s how to accomplish it.
R: RELATIONSHIPS
One of the first steps I took was to talk to as many people as possible in my personal and professional networks about their jobs and the benefits, challenges and opportunities. The experience helped me build a stronger community to learn from and rely on, and it opened my eyes to how I could stay true to my core values. I missed much of my three children’s early years due to practice ownership. I knew I wanted to be a more present parent, but it couldn’t happen while I worked over 80 hours a week.
E: ENERGY
A friend recommended that I work with a life coach, which became my most valuable investment. We examined my core values and ensured that my priorities at the start of my career remained central. We explored my purpose, including what I cared about, what I wanted to contribute to society, what filled my heart and the legacy I wished to leave. I affirmed that mentoring and teaching gave me tremendous purpose and reward and needed to be a core part of my next chapter.
S: STRENGTHS
The next step is to assess how your personal attributes and professional skill set align and support your energy purpose. This is a pivotal moment because you must think creatively without being blinded or constrained. Nothing is off the table. This discovery process was a roller coaster for me and eventually became a slow but powerful journey into self-love. Remember that the answers we seek are in the questions we are afraid to ask. Don’t be afraid to discover yourself and your strengths. Doing it is a key measure of future success, as Psychology Today reported that people who rely on their strengths daily are six times more likely to be engaged at work.
E: EXPERIMENT
Most people experiment with their new chapters in life. The average American changes jobs an average of 12.4 times over a lifetime, and the Veterinary Jobs Marketplace website reports that 23% of veterinary professionals switch annually. This is the time to test the waters and forge your path. During my search, I discovered I enjoyed writing and that I felt my best when I was bold and confident. I asked pharmaceutical representatives how they selected key opinion leaders for teaching assignments, and I started submitting articles to smaller publications and continually sought feedback. After months of trial and error, my most telling discovery was that I loved variety and flexibility. Having multiple outlets to work as a consultant challenged me and filled me with purpose.
T: TIME FRAMES
Finally, establishing realistic and achievable time frames for all these steps is essential, even when the objective is as straightforward as “Contact three people in my network this week.” Forward momentum, no matter how small, enhances motivation, drives more significant progress and correlates with a higher success rate.
Though I sold my practice several years ago, I still don’t have life all figured out. I work daily to manage intrusive thoughts. I struggle with uncertainty and have days when it’s hard to believe nobody cares. However, I’ve also discovered passion and purpose. I continue to build around my core values and the unknown (which, in my case, turned into running a veterinary angel investing group).
It’s time to stop being “just a veterinarian.” To quote Sahil Bloom once more, “Go out and do the damn thing.”
DID YOU KNOW?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 3.9 in January 2024, down from 4.1 in January 2022.
PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGHS
Here is an excellent in-the-moment, 30-second strategy popularized by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman to combat stress and anxiety.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your diaphragm to expand.
- Inhale a second time, taking a shorter breath since your diaphragm won’t expand as much.
- Exhale entirely through your mouth.
- Repeat three times.